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Hazard of New Fortunes

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By: (1837-1920)

"Hazard of New Fortunes" by William Dean Howells is a rich and multifaceted novel that delves deep into the complexities of American society in the late 19th century. The story follows protagonist Basil March as he navigates the challenges of starting a new life in New York City.

What I found most compelling about this novel was Howells' insightful exploration of social class, wealth, and power dynamics. Through March's experiences and interactions with a diverse cast of characters, the author paints a vivid portrait of a rapidly changing society grappling with issues of morality, ambition, and identity.

Howells' prose is both elegant and thought-provoking, inviting readers to ponder the larger questions of life and human nature. The novel's themes of aspiration, success, and ethical dilemmas are as relevant today as they were over a century ago.

Overall, "Hazard of New Fortunes" is a captivating and intellectually stimulating read that offers valuable insights into the complexities of the human condition. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in exploring the nuances of American society and culture during a pivotal period in history.

Book Description:
Howell’s novel is set in New York of the late nineteenth century, a city familiar to readers of Edith Wharton and Henry James. Basil March, a businessman from Boston of a literary bent, moves with his family to New York to edit a new journal founded by an acquaintance. Its financial support, however, comes from a Mr. Dryfoos, a Pennsylvania Dutch farmer suddenly become millionaire by the discovery of natural gas on his property, and now living in New York with his family in a style he hopes will befit his new wealth.

Is it his new fortune that presents a hazard? Or is it the new wealth of New York City in the Gilded Age? Both March and his literary creator are increasingly aware of some of the social and economic contradictions that beset the city of the time (though some of Howell’s analysis sounds as if it well might fit New York today). Characters such as, among others, Dryfoos’s children, a German socialist immigrant who fought for the Union cause, an impoverished Southern colonel still persuaded that a reformed slavery might work, a young woman drawn from the upper reaches of Old New York society, help to enrich the story and its setting with their differing viewpoints. ( Nicholas Clifford)


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